Have you heard anything about dole organic? Or some of these other huge companies' organic lines?

It always makes me suspicious when I see a huge company like Dole doing organic. Are they really growing their organic lines without pesticides?

And also, at farmers markets...I was just reading an article about a farmers market in LA, where alot of the vendors were selling items they bought at regular grocery stores and passing them off as locally grown.

Also, just because it sold at a farm or a farmers market, doesn't mean they're not using pesticides. At Froberg Farms in Alvin, TX....they sell strawberries....they grow them right there....you can pick them yourself (we have). But I see a huge tank out there with all these empty pesticide bottles around it.

So, unless they say organic at the farmers markets....they could still be using pesticides just like the grocery store produce, correct?

You have to become friends with your farmers... I know its hard work, but thats the only way you will know what they are doing with their produce.... If you go to froberg farms, then you are so close to some really great farmers in the area.... Did you ever look into that yahoo group called houston raw? Check out this website...if I could get there, these would be the people that I would buy all my everything from.... homesweetfarm.com. Brad Stufflebeam is the name of the man who owns the farm with his family.... Another farm that I would recommend would be hammond farms... website is hammondfarms.com. But I think they are mostly goat milk and cheese, not sure...but Miss Julie is an awesome woman, has helped me quite a few times online, cant wait to meet her..... Most farms down here, welcome visitors. if a farmer doesnt want you to come see his farm, i would be leery of buying from them.... Houston raw will help you find good quality food... there is a lady on there right now, that is setting up to buy bulk grains... I have bought grass fed beef, and lamb from these folks and since I joined the group, I have gotten a feel for which folks I would want to deal with... not all of them seem upright, but you can tell, by what they write...
I have been told that there is a difference from organic and certified organic.... but Im not sure I remember what all it was... It seems like if something is just labeled organic, at least one food has to be organic, but the rest dont have to be.... with the certified organic, if I remember correctly they get inspected and every part of the product has to be organic.... as for the farmers markets.. .I have read those stories, and I have asked on the group how to tell the difference... all we can do is ask question... how long have they been growing this product, what type of bug control do they use. what type of fertilizers do they use... normally if they are just buying from the store, they wont have these answers... another thing would be to ask if you could come and see their farm... see if they will set up a date.... Also be realistic... if someone is selling bananas in may at a farmers market, chances are they are store bought.... lettuce and greens I dont think can be grown down here in the middle of summer.... houston has spring and summer crops, and fall and winter crops... go online and find what veggies grow when... if you see them at the market at the wrong time of year, chances are they are store bought.

Don't forget wal mart organics produced in china!

thank you for the info...I'm emailing this to my wife....
definetely will check out those farms....

so, do you not goto Froberg Farms?

As much as I would like to go to frobergs, no I havent been there yet... i am a foster care provider for a disabled girl, and I also take care of my grandson, so outings are limited to very close to home... I keep saying that im going up there, but havent quite made it yet.... i am not a confident driver.... I have been driving for 35 years, but am still uncomfortable driving in places I dont know, and I dont do cities like houston at all.... I have driven thru alvin a time or two. but havent ventured off that main pathway they have. My daughter in law did say today, that we need to go visit some of these farmers markets and hopefully that will mean frobergs too.... I would love to go up to homesweet farms.... they have some great family days from what I hear.... lots of things planned to teach and make one enthusiastic about the foods they eat. Mr Brad is also very active in trying to protect the local farm and farmer as well as those who buy from them...

My wife was reading that the homesweet farms is in brenham....we'll have to go check it out....
we're planning on going to Dewberry farms soon....its out in northwest houston....

what part of town are you coming from? I'm in southeast houston...so alvin isn't too bad of a drive.

I live in a small town called Brazoria. its an hours drive straight south of houston. Nice quiet little town, and whats even better, I am out in the country... peace and qiuet out here. not too much excitement unless its coming from one of my kids!!! Alvin is about a 45 minute drive from my house. not too bad.